"Life becomes a matter of finance, not something to be cherished at all cost."
When I think of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice or given their lives for freedom, I often think of how best to comfort them and give them confidence in their duty. Most of those who died in battle defending our freedom did so for “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Consider other godly men and women in Scripture who suffered through battle to obey God. Some say, with respect to our military efforts in recent history, that the men and women who died for our country suffered because our country’s leadership has made some rotten decisions. They would say for instance that decisions or agreements, in the name of economics, politics and/or diplomacy, have cost the lives of many of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. Many then ask, “How can we say we are a Christian nation? Look at the horrible things we have done.” Others say, “We are a horrible nation, we can never presume to take the moral high ground and force our own type of “freedom” upon another sovereign country.” Here in Psalm 3, we see King David, who has done much of what we are accused of, and in many ways are genuinely guilty of doing. He has committed adultery. This resulted in the death of the resulting child. He has conducted war against a variety of foes, some of which were not antagonistic to Israel or even capable of actually hurting Israel. In his sin with Bathsheba alone, David committed all the sins against the nation of Israel, Rabbah (the city Joab was attacking at the time of David’s sin (2 Sam 11:1)) and God that many accuse the United States of perpetrating. Yet, here in the passage we are looking at today, we see the assurance David has in His redeeming God. How can God help such a sinful King? Why would God help such a sinful nation as ours?
Psalm 3 documents David’s attitude of faith in times of severe troubles. David does not just have trouble from the people of Israel; he suffers from troubles within His cabinet and from his own son who wants to kill him and take his kingdom. A King is in danger when his own cabinet wants to replace him, for the only way to replace the king is to kill him or for him to resign. At the time of David, sons also desired the throne and took it sometimes by force. This is the ultimate of childish rebellion. Still we find David rather joyous and comforted in this plight. David sleeps and wakens with the testimony that the Lord sustained Him. How is this relaxed attitude possible, with his foes – and especially his son – right on his heels.? We should grab some background.
The problem David is dealing with in this section of scripture is Absalom, one of his sons who was ambitious and wanted the throne. Absalom was a wicked son from the beginning. He was born of a polygamous marriage as the son of David’s third wife (2 Sam 3:3). King David – as his son Solomon did after him – tried to do some things the way the world did them. David took concubines and many wives just as other worldly kings had done. He saw this as normal, but God never approved of such a life (Ex 20:14).
The wickedness in Absalom’s heart first affected his immediate family, as he murdered his own brother (2 Sam 13:29). Granted, one might consider this just as Amnon had raped his own sister (2 Sam 13:14), but this was a matter for the priests to decide by the law of the land, not for Absalom to take justice into his own hands and resolve the problem with his own personal vengeance in mind. Vigilantism was against God’s law (“vengeance is mine… saith the Lord”) well before it was against man’s law.
Because of his wickedness, Absalom was exiled from the house of David (2 Sam 13:37). David did not pursue Absalom, but grieved for Amnon. Both of these sons were wicked in what they had done, but David still loved them. Many have seen David as a doting and permissive father in these passages. That may well be true. David may have spoiled his children such that they never suffered discipline of any sort to encourage good behavior. David, permitting a woman to beguile him, bolsters this assessment. In his heart, he did not want to hold Absalom accountable (2 Sam 13:39). This is a loving father; however David did not exercise wisdom or turn his son over to the legal authorities (2 Sam 14:33). Absalom’s next evil act (conspiring against his father) displays his true unrepentant heart (2 Sam 15:13-14).
After taking from David’s treasuries and resources (chariots and a ceremonial entourage) to build a pomp to bolster his ego (2 Samuel 15:1), Absalom seems to assume authority as he screens those who approach the gate. In this process, he purports an air of congeniality that is favorable and gains approval among the population. Absalom is purposefully interposing a contrast between himself and his father David in order to garner public support. The entire scene then is a deception to garner approbation while engendering distrust and disgust for his father’s government. He presents himself as strong and compassionate and his father as weak, uncaring and corrupt.
Therefore, Absalom lives in David’s house, eats his food, enjoys the presence and advantages of the king of Israel; yet for years he works to destroy the very person who loves him enough to care for him. Absalom’s life was spared, he is cared for by the King, his livelihood is provided with no expectation of performance; and yet, Absalom only takes, connives and gossips to sow seeds of trouble and discontent. His ingratitude and wickedness is deep and abiding.
Ultimately, Absalom would fall prey to his own hate filled desires to rule the kingdom. After amassing an army to attempt a coup and overthrow his father’s throne, he would fail, lose his life, and be directly responsible for the death of 20,000 people in the process. As he fled the scene of the battle, he saw David’s army and their leaders. He did not know they had orders to apprehend him alone (King David’s orders in 2 Sam 18:5). As he fled into the heavily wooded area of Ephraim, he too was caught up in the entanglements. Joab, in direct opposition to the King’s orders, murdered Absalom while he was entangled. Truthfully, Absalom had earned a death sentence in four different ways:
- Murder – He had his brother Amnon killed.
- Sedition – In having excited an insurrection in the state.
- Treason – In having taken up arms against his own father (Deut. 21:18, 21).
- Incest and adultery – In having lain with his father’s concubines (Lev. 18:29).
Still, we find in this historical account other reasons for David to be concerned. Joab was unfaithful, untrustworthy and just as conniving as Absalom. He may have fought for King David, but he regularly found ways to manipulate him or accomplish his own desires.
Yet in all of this David was at ease. He hurt for his sons out of love for them, but the battle was not a concern. David was not concerned about life or death. David knew that God provides protection, assurance, comfort and victory in the face of sure disaster, great emotional turmoil and overwhelming satanic attack. We could look at Psalm 23 for this comfort too. David knew that those who trust in God will be delivered from their tormentors.
You may wonder, what does all this Israeli history have to do with Memorial Day? Why is Absalom’s sinful deception and hate so important and applicable to today? The answer is actually quite easy. Think of it with this kind of parallel: those who have fought for our country are the Davids of America; our politicians and the people who purport anti-American attitudes are Absalom and his duped followers.
I. The Antagonist (1-2)
In the first couple of verses we see the antagonist or satanically controlled aggressor. Absalom acts from an emotional base which creates a very uncalculated initial response. This is evident in the passages that document the counsel Absalom refused as opposed to that which he accepted. He refused the counsel of the old and wise, yet took only the counsel of the young and supposedly educated (2 Sam 15:12-17:23). Absalom’s life displays a drive toward only that which he desired, what he decided and what he thinks is best quite absent from counsel. Absalom was all about himself and cared nothing for others, especially those who displayed true love to him. He saw that as weakness or his way to take advantage of others.
These very same antagonistic attributes are prevalent in the attitude of today’s national leadership toward the traditions and traditional values of our nation. This attitude also exists in many of the people that support them. This is especially true of the most militant of their supporters that function regularly on the basis of “the end justifies the means.” This leadership is so sure they are correct that they take actions – whether detrimental to the nation or not, whether truthful or not, and regardless of the overall national consensus – to implement their own personal agendas. Many have described these folks as arrogant, prideful and elitist. This is the sense we get from Absalom. He says, in a sense, “The ways of my father are outdated and no longer effective. I know what is best.” Many in our nation today parrot these same sentiments in their rhetoric, actions and attitudes. Just as Absalom did before them, our nation’s leaders and their supporters are, for the most part, unappreciative of the blood spilt, the leadership needed, or the realities of life in a fallen world. They are all but naïve in their understanding of how the world works. The antagonist says, “We are now smarter, we are younger, we are stronger, we can do it better, and your old ways are antiquated and useless in the new world.” The antagonist says that the old ways are no longer useful. They will listen to no counsel, hear no objection, neither any reason that in any way disrupts their desires or plans. The antagonist wants people to simply admit their common inferiority, and therefore submit to the superiority of the antagonist’s intellect.
Antagonists attempt to inculcate the masses through deception, lies and even acting as if (and making sure others believe) they are only there to protect their best interests. This is what Absalom did at the gate when he intercepted people who were going to talk to David. Absalom intervened to slander his father and put doubt in the minds of the people in order to bolster his personal standing (2 Sam 15:3-4). In this Psalm we see “how [his] adversaries have increased” and that “many are rising up against [him].” Both of these conditions resulted from the false accusations and cunning disparagement of Absalom.
Today in our society, we find this same effort afoot with our government leadership, as they stand opposed to our values and traditions, which many have fought for and died to preserve. They stand against our Christian heritage, and in fact deny it. Their supporters in our society want their freedom, but they are unwilling to remember, respect or honor how it was derived. Their supporters want their freedom, but they are unwilling to seek wisdom of those who established it. Instead, they look at history with disdain and contempt, and consider it something to be changed or altered from the true foundations. The antagonist today looks to remove God from our nation. They have removed God from our schools. They seek to remove God from our monuments and memories. In the process, the antagonist murders many, as they purport more and more death based upon economic decisions instead of biblical decisions. Life becomes a matter of finance, not something to be cherished at all cost.
We have monuments all over our nation, in fact world wide dedicated to men and women who gave their lives to preserve our heritage of freedom. They gave their all to preserve our freedoms. Military men and women died on the battlefield to maintain the liberty we so much enjoy. These men and women gave their lives while our national leadership cried for people to turn to God in the War of Independence. They fought for freedom as Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines were encouraged to seek God for strength in the American Civil War. These heroes sought the strength of God and His power in the first and second World Wars. On this day we honor all those who have given their lives for freedom. They counted their loss not as such, but as a mark of gain. Their blood was spent to purchase freedom. Their freedom was forfeited to usher in our life of freedom. Many will give grand speeches concerning these freedoms today. We here should honor this freedom the only way it can be honored, through a fight for the traditional freedoms under which this nation was founded. Our Pledge of Allegiance states: “One nation under God indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
We honor our fallen today and their life giving efforts to maintain our true heritage. In that honor, I renew my call to you to stand up for them and with them, just as the people did with David against Absalom. Our monuments should always reflect the desires of those they honor. Continue to fight for our founding principles as a Christian nation. Ultimately, as David did, draw your power and assurance from God.
Many wonder, what protection is available in our world today. On the battlefield, we can normally find cover behind a wall or we find safety in numbers. On the battlefield, we can walk behind a tank or ride in an armored personnel carrier. We frequently have some kind of cover. Even our constitution provides us protection against false prosecution. What kind of protection do we have in the civilian world? What will protect us from the evil people of the world who will call us names, label us, attempt to defame us and malign us? What will protect us in the open public?
II. The Shield (3-4)
The Lord our God is the shield round about us. What better protection than our God. I made a point recently talking to a number of folks that David takes comfort, not in his army, not in his generals, but in the Lord God. In the historical account of Absalom, we find that Joab, David’s greatest General disobeyed his orders and even sent a woman to deceive King David. Joab even gave her specific instructions on what to say to best deceive David. David truly had no one he could trust. If you have felt alone, you have felt as David did – unable to communicate with anyone, trust anyone or even have any faith that truth can be found in anything around you. The only salvation, the only deliverance from evil is found in God. Therefore, the protection that a true Christian (a true believer in God and His Son) has is in His eternal promise. The believer has an eternal view that drives their desires and purpose. The believer looks only to God for truth and justice. Like Job before him, David knew God was the only being who was just, true, and able to redeem him. Christians too face this same dilemma in our world today.
When we look at our world today and we see the wickedness of man on full display, the only one we know we can turn to is God. This is how David felt about the situation with Absalom. He cried aloud to the Lord who answered from a high and holy place.
You too can have the assurance that David had against his adversaries. You too can find peace and feel the comfort of God’s hand holding up your head in the face of stiff opposition, great fear and tremendous adversity. The Christian looks forward to the time they will enjoy Heaven. The Christian looks forward to their time in eternity. In this heavenly view, there is no room for fear of man or worldly things.
Is the Lord your shield? Do you see Him as your truth, your just judge, your sustainer, your redeemer and your salvation? That is where He shields you – in your heart and soul, giving you eternal life that no man can take away. When the antagonist attacks you, shield yourself with the truth of God. He has to be your portion.
When you do believe, your faith is an effective armor that can stop any of Satan’s darts. This shield provides you comfort and blessings beyond compare, for they are eternal and not temporal.
III. The Comfort (5-6)
With the enemy bearing down upon him, David sleeps. He takes rest among the stresses of war and Absalom’s attempted coup d’état. We should realize that, just as the event did result in Absalom’s death, it could just as easily have resulted in David’s, if that were God’s will. David was not concerned with his life, but that God’s will would be done. What more relaxed state can one be in than to sleep? Clarke noted:
“He who knows that he has God for his Protector may go quietly and confidently to his bed, not fearing the violence of the fire, the edge of the sword, the designs of wicked men, nor the influence of malevolent spirits.”
David is obviously at ease in his predicament. We also see his waking as a sign of faith and strength as a testimony that, though His life could have ended while he slept, he awakens to serve God. The Psalm reads is as if David says, “My life is not yet complete without God’s approval to take me home. He has chosen to leave me here, therefore I will stand to fight another day.”
In verse six, we see the same confidence as David states he would stand alone against 10,000 people. If the Lord chooses that he should prevail he will glory. If the Lord chooses to take him, David will glory all the more.
Our men and women in our nation who fight for freedom, the Americans that are overseas fighting for freedom, and those who are honored in our memorials, who established and sustained our freedom – we honor you. We too stand now, confident that we can sleep free in a land of promise because of your steadfastness and the sacrifice of many. We also stand confident that we shall awake in the morning if the Lord so chooses. The backs of those who shoulder our freedom have given us this assurance. Some of those backs have broken under the weighty onslaught against freedom. Some of these backs would have broken if it were not for others coming along side to help bear the load. All of those who carried our nation to freedom, and gave of themselves to maintain it, are honored this day. We must honor them by continuing to fight for freedom.
I have challenged this congregation many times to get busy and do something for our nation to take it back – to bring our nation back to the godly heritage it once enjoyed, and was called to do by the Continental Congress. Here today that call is renewed. Fight folks. If you do not take time to write a single letter, make your voice heard, talk to people and get involved, how can you say you are fighting to take back our nation? You do not have to break the law; you simply have to communicate. Write, communicate, and for those of us who have the Internet and use it, blog and get involved in the information age.
There are wicked people out there who will attack you, but God is your shield. There are Absaloms everywhere in our world today, but God is your comfort not the praise of man. The passage in 2 Samuel talks about David’s army as “the people of Israel” while we read in 2 Samuel 17:25 that “Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab…” Absalom had David’s army and all David had for an army was “the people that were with him” whom he appointed to fight. Absalom apparently had all the army’s leaders except Joab. The masses that came to David’s aid were developed from the citizenry. In all this, David had complete confidence in what he was doing.
IV. The Confidence (7-8)
Here was David with a group of as many as 10,000 untrained and inexperienced men at his disposal to defend his kingdom against at least 20,000 (the number slaughtered by David’s army). David in verse 7 prays to God, knowing full well that deliverance comes from Him, and Him alone. When this tremendous and overwhelming victory is achieved, David attributes it wholly to the Lord. It is obvious that 10,000 farmers could not slaughter 20,000 professional soldiers. It is equally obvious that those who chose to oppose God’s chosen king, King David, would suffer for their arrogance.
Salvation, freedom from tyranny, deliverance from wickedness, liberation from oppression and emancipation from slavery have all been given to man by God. Our founding fathers, men who regularly pleaded for those things (as we learned last Thanksgiving in the Journals of the Continental Congress–sermon here) founded this nation “under God, indivisible” and sought God’s strength and approval throughout the effort. Today we honor all those who have come before us, who are memorialized because they gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
In this fashion, God too sacrificed His only Son so that you could have salvation from your sins. God gave us Christ Jesus to provide us freedom from the tyranny of Satan controlled fear of death. Jesus died on the cross to deliver man from evil and wickedness, into life and godliness. The Son of God’s blood was shed to liberate us from the oppressive weight of condemnation. With the stripes given to Christ, we were healed and our hearts were emancipated from the slavery of fear. We are free just as David was free. Moreover, we owe our freedom to the same God as David, and our God will deliver us unto freedom from the antagonists of the world.
Have you called upon the name of God as it says here in verse seven of this psalm?
“Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.”
We do well to remember that Satan is the enemy. Satan controlled Absalom. Satan controls all ungodliness. Satan controls every unbeliever. We are expected to take action, as David did, to take back our nation from ungodly individuals who deceive, lie, cheat or steal their way into power. Like David, we have an army; but our army does not have to do battle with the sword. We do battle with our voices. We use the power of freedom of speech, prayer and God’s Word, and we wield it against the Absaloms of today. That power is in the pen and in your voice. Many died so you could exercise that power. We can best honor them by honoring their memory – in using this power they sacrificed to give to us, just as we use our freedom in Christ to never fear man or His kingdoms. “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28, ESV).
This was David’s attitude. David had no fear of man or man’s things. David feared, revered, respected and honored only the things of God. Do you know who the antagonist is? Do you now rightfully claim the shield of God in faith through Jesus Christ? Are you able to live calmly, assured of your salvation regardless of the darts Satan throws at you? Do you have the confidence that David had when he went into battle against evil? If you rightfully claim these things, you have nothing to fear and should fight for your God-given rights just as those men and women before you.
Christians would be careful to describe Benjamin Franklin as any sort of saved man. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, Franklin and Jefferson were probably the only two deists in the bunch. Yet still, we see this quote in the annals of history. Benjamin Franklin gave this Invocation for Prayer at the Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787:
“How has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.”
Not only is this supposed deist saying he believes God is involved and responsible for their victory over Great Britain, he quotes James 1:17 for the name James gives to God – “the Father of lights.” How can a deist who does not believe in God’s involvement in the things of man on Earth say such things? He cannot. The only answer is that the founders believed in God, the Christian God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They were not perfect, yet they knew the scriptures and believed. They knew their antagonist was Great Britain. They rightfully claimed the shield of God through faith in Christ Jesus. They sought the wisdom and comfort they had experienced during the conflict with Britain. Benjamin Franklin knew the confidence of God’s sovereignty. Do you?
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